Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Mala Sen

Writer, TV researcher and screenwriter -- via the Telegraph. She told the amazing but true story of India's Bandit Queen, Phoolan Devi, and turned it into an acclaimed film.

Leona "Little Rusty" Kronberg

Portland's "queen of vice"; madam -- via oregonlive.com.

Giorgio Tozzi

Bass-baritone -- via Spinner. He was a great success and a regular at the Metropolitan Opera; he also achieved greatness on the Broadway stage. The amazing singing of Emile de Beque in the 1958 film version of "South Pacific"? Acted by Rossano Brazzi; VOICED by Tozzi.

Leo Rangell

Psychoanalyst -- via the L.A. Times.

Clarice Taylor

Stage, TV and screen actress -- via TheaterMania. She may be best remembered as Grandma Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" and Harriet on "Sesame Street," but she worked in many films, as well as originating the role of Addaperle in "The Wiz," and won an Obie for her one-woman Moms Mabley show.

James "Curley" Cooke

Guitarist and teacher -- via the Seattle Times. A blues master, he was an original member of the Steve Miller Band.

Alys Robi aka Alice Robitaille

Singer -- via the Montreal Gazette.

Roger Franklin

Actor -- via voy.com. He played the original Officer Krupke in "West Side Story"; he will be best remembered as the long-time Santa Claus at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan.

Rick Dial

Actor -- via the Malvern Daily Record.

Jon Blake

Actor -- via ABC News.

Michael A. DeLuca aka Mikey Wild

Punk rocker, artist and South Street fixture -- via the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Lillian Adams

Actress -- via westernboothill.blogspot.com.

Nicholas V. Riasanovsky

Expert in Russian history -- via the New York Times.

Eugene "Gene" Smith

Great Negro Leagues pitcher -- via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Janet Brown

Actress, comedian and impressionist -- via the Telegraph.

Dana Brand

The ultimate Mets fan -- via the New York Times. A professor at Hofstra, he turned his lifelong obsession with the A-Mazin's into a wonderful blog and many books.

Kalsuri Arisen Ahubudu

Writer, teacher, orator, poet and lyricist -- via slbc.lk.


Nina Leopold Bradley

Conservationist, researcher and writer -- via the Hudson (Wis.) Star-Observer.

Larry Kinley

Singer -- via Cincinnati.com.

Irene Gilbert

Actress and acting teacher - via the L.A. Times.

Steve Rutt

Engineer, inventor and artist -- via the New York Times.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Edwin Honig

Poet, playwright and translator -- via projo.com.

Mergen

Herder -- via the Guardian.

Amanda Franklin

Wing walker -- via AOPA Online.

Jeremy Paul aka Jeremy Roche

TV writer -- via the Guardian. He wrote for many of the great British TV series of the day: "Upstairs, Downstairs," "Danger: UXB," "Lovejoy" and the the Granada "Sherlock Holmes" adventures. He also composed the wonderfully over-the-top "Countess Dracula," a wonderfully cheesy Ingrid Pitt vehicle.

George DeRoe

Hermit -- via the Guardian.

Ivan Hel

Journalist and human rights activist -- via the Guardian.

David Stone

Radical film producer, innovative film programmer and drug counselor -- via the Guardian.

Jose Claudio Ribeira da Sila and Maria do Espirito Santo

Rubber tappers and environmental activists -- via HuffPo Green. They were murdered by as-yet unknown parties in Brazil.

Leonora Carrington

Painter and sculptor -- via the Telegraph. The last of the Surrealists, her life was a template of it.

George McDonald

Original and beloved San Diego Padre -- via Sign On San Diego.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Gil Scott-Heron

Port, musician, and writer -- via the Washington Post. Known today as "the godfather of hip hop," Scott-Heron slashed into prominence as a performer who would cut loose with brilliant streams of words against a background of jazz. His radical political statements made him a household word. Later, his career was slowed by drug addiction. Still, beautiful songs such as "I Think I'll Call It Morning" and "Lady Day and John Coltrane" were inspirational. A great soul.




Jeff Conaway

Actor -- via the New York Times. He will be best remembered as Kenickie in the film adaptation of "Grease," and Bobby in the TV comedy series "Taxi."

Michele Fawdon

Actress -- via encore.

Jim Rothermel

Masterful woodwind player -- via the Marin Independent Journal.

Jack Wolf

Engineer and computer theorist -- via the New York Times.

Eugene Iwaniczko

Scientist -- via the Denver Post.

Rachel Avnery

Peace activist -- via 972mag.com.